AI Search Is Changing the Game
Ran Blayer
Search is changing — again. But this time, it’s not just another algorithm tweak or ranking factor update—it’s a part of the AI revolution..
At its May 2025 I/O conference, Google unveiled AI Mode, a conversational search feature powered by Gemini 2.5, aiming to transform search into an expert-like dialogue. Initially tested with select users, it’s now available globally.
There is a distinct shift in how people are beginning to search for information, how answers are generated, and who gets visibility. The age of AI-powered search has arrived, and if you’re not appearing in these search results, you’re missing out on vital opportunities and could be left behind.
The communications and marketing industry is standing at the precipice of technological advancement. One which will drastically affect every element of the sector from services methodology to our understanding of how messaging reaches markets. Industry professionals are having to rapidly and constantly update their knowledge and skill to ensure we best serve their brands and clients.
It’s not just about keeping up with trends. It’s about consistently researching the most effective best practice techniques. And it’s about finding the most efficient processes, software and metrics to successfully implement and evaluate them.
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Keywords to Prompts: The AI Search Evolution
Traditional SEO has taught us to chase keywords, build backlinks, and fight for rankings. But generative AI search doesn’t work that way. Instead, AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini answer real, full-length questions with comprehensive answers.
Responses aren’t links — they’re summaries, narratives, lists and explanations. Answers are influenced, not only by your content, but by how authoritative, visible, and interconnected your brand is across the web.
Monitoring suddenly becomes much more tricky. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are affected by SEO activity and Google ranking. If you put a particular keyword or phrase into Google and click search, the same approximate results will always appear in a similar order. We can therefore measure the success of a campaign or piece of content by following the position of the link.
With GenAI, individual responses are generated independently of each other and every outcome is unique. So the question now is, how do you make sure to be included in the conversation? And furthermore, if every response is different, how do you know how often you’re being included?
The Impact of New GenAI Monitoring Tech
At Percepto, we’ve built our reputation on staying ahead of the curve. Recently, we were invited to be part of a select group of beta-testing agencies of a new platform designed to monitor and optimize brand visibility in generative AI search. This software is one of the first tools built specifically for the new rules of search — and we believe it represents the future of Online Reputation Management.
Developed for the GenAI age, it scans the top AI-driven platforms and does something simple but powerful: it tells you how often your brand shows up in AI-generated answers — and how you’re being perceived.
It works by generating 200+ prompts relevant to your industry, positioning and scanning major AI engines. From here, it determines which responses mention your brand and the frequency at which you are mentioned. It calculates your brand’s average rank for each question and the overall sentiment – similar to the research Percepto conducted at the end of last year for our white paper: Impacts of Gen AI on Reputation Management.
AI Visibility Is the New First Impression
It’s no longer enough to be optimized for Google. You now need to be optimized for AI. This isn’t just about tracking mentions, it’s about understanding your visibility footprint across the AI layer of the internet — the new “first impression” for many consumers and decision-makers. Tools like this elevate that work to a new level.
We’re now able to answer questions like:
- What kinds of prompts are relevant to your brand?
- Are you included in AI-generated results?
- If not, why not — and which competitors, content or platforms are being prioritized instead?
These insights allow us to:
- Recommend on which types of websites you need to be featured.
- Design content to influence AI outputs
- Identify weak spots in your current visibility/reputation strategy
- Offer predictive insights into brand perception at scale
With these quantitative and qualitative insights to hand explaining from where information is sourced and why, you’re able to make informed strategic decisions on the most effective reputation management activity moving forward.
Being a part of the beta-stage of this early design partner group has given us fantastic insight into how things are moving forward. We’re not just users — we’re shaping the tool with real-world insights.
Methods For Moving With the Times
This means we are about to give our clients an edge at a time when the rules are still being written. While others are figuring out what GenAI means for reputation, we’re already optimizing for it.
Here are some tips to consider when optimizing content for AI search:
1. Create content that answers AI-friendly prompts
Design content around the kinds of questions users are asking in AI searches—think conversational and intent-based queries. Tools can help identify relevant prompts showing where your brand could (or should) appear in AI-generated answers.
2. Monitor sentiment and mentions across platforms
Leverage tools to track how AI agents are referencing your brand—what the sentiment is, how often you appear, and your average rank. This data helps refine your ORM strategy and build a proactive content plan to shift narratives.
3. Prioritize high-authority, AI-visible platforms
Traditional SEO teaches us to aim for backlinks—AI search teaches us to aim for presence on authoritative sites that AI systems trust and reference. Invest in researching which publications within your industry are the most “AI-friendly” and therefore “AI-visible” and focus on achieving coverage there. One way to find AI-Friendly platforms is by asking relevant questions and seeing which platforms keep being sourced. If a platform is often sourced, that’s where you want to focus your energies.
4. Structure content for fast delivery
AI search agents prioritize speed and clarity, so ensure your key messages and brand points appear in the first few lines. Use clear headings, bullet points, and structured layouts.
5. Use metadata and to influence AI
Embed rich metadata, tags, and alt-texts to guide how AI systems interpret your content, which can influence both visibility and sentiment analysis in results. This is critical for brand control.
No Time to Rest
The companies that adapt first to this shift will win. Those that wait will be playing catch-up in a new digital economy. As AI becomes the gatekeeper of content and reputation, brand managers and marketers will need new tools, new strategies, and new ways of thinking.
At Percepto, we’re proud to be at the forefront of that evolution.